Pluralism is a Reality

The time, when pluralism was a mere ideology, has passed. In the modern era, pluralism is a reality. People of all colors, faiths, and creeds are living side-by-side in societies all across the world—nowhere more so than here in the USA.

People who rail against pluralism as an ideology are behind the times. They have not yet accepted the reality of what has happened. Some are trying to turn back the tide, but the tide will not turn. Pluralism is here to stay.

The Only Question is…

The only question we are faced with is whether or not we are going to make this new reality work for all of us. The pluralistic society is already operating well in many areas, but others are struggling.

“Like It’s Always Been”

For those who have been brought up to believe that pluralism is an ideology, this is resistance is understandable. They believe that they are preserving their way of life by railing against pluralism. “Why can’t it be like it’s always been?” they ask. Only when they’ll accept the truth that society is already pluralistic can we move onto the next stage and start working towards harmony.

It Takes Practice and Dedication

Let’s be honest. Creating harmony in a diverse society is not an easy task. It starts with ceasing hostilities and increased tolerance. Then, when everyone does his or her part, it can lead to cooperation and fellowship. Each is a step in the right direction.

A symphony orchestra provides a good example of harmony. An orchestration materializes by putting together an array of diverse instruments played by various individuals, all of who have come together through practice and dedication to create harmonious melodies. For anyone not familiar with the process, it takes hard work.

“You May Say I’m a Dreamer”

Those who resist pluralistic society are loud. Some of them are violent. When confronted with that kind of response, it is easy to feel discouraged. However, when I look around these days, I see a lot of new initiatives that are designed to facilitate civic dialogue and lead to increased harmony. That gives me hope. I know I’m a dreamer, dreaming of a peaceful harmonious world, but I am not the only one.

Accept Reality

All I can say to those who have not yet accepted our new reality is, ACCEPT IT. You don’t have to like it, but at least accept it as a reality. Work from what is true, not what you wish was true.

Let Us Work Together

To all those who have already embraced this new reality, let us work together to show the rest of the world that the spread of pluralism and diversity is both unstoppable and can be quite harmonious. It’s not enough to sit back and wait for it to happen. We must work for it. We must reach out and create harmony through dedicated effort.

An untrained symphony orchestra sounds like a garbled cacophony of disparate reverberations. For it to sound harmonious, each musician must first play his or her instrument well. Only then can they work together to generate a harmonious melody. We must be willing to work just as hard towards a harmonious society.

Gudjon Bergmann
Interfaith Minister, Author, and Speaker
Founder of Harmony Interfaith Initiative

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Picture: Pixabay.com CC0 License